During sleep and in a dream I was driving an automobile on a railroad track. This car did not have tires but instead it had railroad track wheels. It was the twilight hours of either dawn or dusk and behind my car there was another car following me. We both had our headlights on. In the far distance ahead I could see a light growing bright and it was approaching very fast. I recognized that it was a train and I was going in the wrong direction. I tried to tell the person behind me about the impending danger but they could not see what I could see. So I got out of my car and picked it up with apparently super-human strength.(It is amazing what you can do in dreams!) I threw the car into the ditch and then jumped off the track. Suddenly the person that was behind me saw the light of impending doom approaching and they put their car in reverse and zoomed backwards

Humanity has been going through its collective dark night of the soul for several centuries. Now the collective awakening is happening. Maybe my own individual investigations could be going in the wrong direction? I do not know...

In the Power of Now, Eckhart Tolle briefly mentions chi energy as motion and Source energy as stillness. He says that chi is the energy field of the body and that it is the bridge between the outer world and Source. He says to go beyond chi to the Source. Perhaps the body and brain are like musical instruments. And Source potential energy manifests as chi dynamic energy to give the breath of life for us to join in on the cosmic symphony of the Universe.

During meditations I become very aware of energy in my hands and in the center of my forehead. Some writings mention the forehead as being related to the "third eye" but Eckhart Tolle never mentions this third eye in his writings. I recall that many statues of the Buddha have a dot in the middle of his forehead.

From what I have read on the internet, the third eye is associated with the pineal gland and also the thalamus and others parts of the brain and limbic system. Strong emotions can be chaotic but they are also associated with psychic powers like telekinesis. Sometimes when I experience a sudden flare of strong emotion, it causes cups and plates suddenly and mysteriously to fall and hit the floor, making a loud noise.

Does that mean we must become masters over our thoughts and emotions or our thoughts and emotions will become our masters?

Mystic wrote:Does that mean we must become masters over our thoughts and emotions or our thoughts and emotions will become our masters?

I think it's clear that thoughts/emotions can and often do call the shots.

But the first part is tricky, isn't it? Who or what might become the "master" of my thoughts and emotions? I think we'd all agree there is no real substantial "I" to become master, right? Thought/emotions can be trained to appear to master thought/emotions ... but that's just a subtler form of conditioning (thank you, Krishnamurti). You could say that Awareness or Source can become a kind of master of one's thoughts/emotions, but then you're in the slippery realm of pure subjectivity or perhaps even belief/faith.

Perhaps "mastery" of thoughts/emotions is a step along the path, something like:

Mystic wrote:Does that mean we must become masters over our thoughts and emotions or our thoughts and emotions will become our masters?

I think it's clear that thoughts/emotions can and often do call the shots.

But the first part is tricky, isn't it? Who or what might become the "master" of my thoughts and emotions? I think we'd all agree there is no real substantial "I" to become master, right? Thought/emotions can be trained to appear to master thought/emotions ... but that's just a subtler form of conditioning (thank you, Krishnamurti). You could say that Awareness or Source can become a kind of master of one's thoughts/emotions, but then you're in the slippery realm of pure subjectivity or perhaps even belief/faith.

Perhaps "mastery" of thoughts/emotions is a step along the path, something like:

You are correct rachMiel, I am not a concept. Words, thoughts, concepts, are merely pointers. "The finger pointing at the moon is not the moon." Who is the master? One cannot define what the master is, it is just a word used to lead one to pause, reflection, and inner stillness of being. Eckhart Tolle wrote that you are the knowing, not the condition that is known. Freedom from concepts means that you are no longer are identified with them.

In the Gospel of Thomas Jesus said, "Blessed is the lion which becomes man when consumed by man; and cursed is the man whom the lion consumes, and the lion becomes man."

Usually at night during meditation, when I focus on the breath and become aware of the inner body, I notice this chi, or life energy is greatly increased and I cannot go to sleep for awhile... I would like to learn more about this chi energy and the power of manifestation. The inner stillness will be my guide. Books probably cannot help me any more...

Everyone has the inner teacher, the inner stillness, that speaks to us with wordless knowings. It then becomes necessary for our mind and intellect to find words to articulate this knowledge.

The egoic mind then becomes the servant and it is no longer the master.

Mystic wrote:Who is the master? One cannot define what the master is, it is just a word used to lead one to pause, reflection, and inner stillness of being.

Sounds right. But words are powerful and often do their work on the unconscious level. I think it's really important to know, deeply, intuitively, like you know the feeling of looking at a computer screen and reading these words, that terms like "master" are ultimately just metaphors, pointers. Don't get too attached to the raft! It's just a vehicle that enables you to move.

The inner stillness will be my guide. Books probably cannot help me any more...

Or at least not at this time. This could change, right? Best not to plan these things out ... ?

Mystic wrote:Who is the master? One cannot define what the master is, it is just a word used to lead one to pause, reflection, and inner stillness of being.

Sounds right. But words are powerful and often do their work on the unconscious level. I think it's really important to know, deeply, intuitively, like you know the feeling of looking at a computer screen and reading these words, that terms like "master" are ultimately just metaphors, pointers. Don't get too attached to the raft! It's just a vehicle that enables you to move.

The inner stillness will be my guide. Books probably cannot help me any more...

Or at least not at this time. This could change, right? Best not to plan these things out ... ?

Yes, just for now... I need to give up distractions, for now at least. The best laid plans of mice and men continue to fail again and again.

Is power in the words? Words are subject to interpretation and interpretation is the egoic-mind. As Eckhart tolle has mentioned, The real power is in the space, or the stillness, between the words. The stillness that is deeper than the unconscious thought level...

To have faith is not to believe in a story that is written in a book. Faith is power, the power of now. To have the faith of a mustard seed is to move the mountains of the collective unconsciousness.

Mystic wrote:Is power in the words? Words are subject to interpretation and interpretation is the egoic-mind.

Ja, the power is in the mind of the beholder. I dunno about the "space or stillness between the words" ... above my pay grade.

Emptiness is also fullness, the infinite potential.

The power of mind-fullness

Yes, it is the power of realization, in a flash, in a moment, in the twinkling of an I, this sacred instant, the power of now.

The precious jewel beyond compare, the pearl of great price, the stillness of awareness, the spaciousness of now...

The realization that there is no "me" is to be set free.

Consciousness expands, to be one with the all.

Some texts refer to seven energy centers called chakras. I have not yet become aware of seven energy centers along the central nervous system but of three. Energy flow in the lower abdomen/lower spine, in the heart area, and in the center of my forehead. There is also tingling and heat produced in my hands. Resist not the flow of life.

Consciousness collapses into a little mini-me. This little self fears expansion into the oneness of the all. It has its own version of expansion by adding things to itself, concepts, thought objects, material possessions, ideas of specialness, anything it can do to preserve its littleness, to live by comparison. This little self hates the is-ness of the present moment awareness. It dwells on the past and anticipates the future... The little self resists the flow... As Eckhart Tolle says, it has outlived its usefulness now and it is time to evolve.

Eckhart says the primary purpose of human existence is to know who we are at our deepest level and everything else is secondary. Only one thing is absolutely important, everything else is relatively important.

I think it is relatively quite important to develop emotional and intellectual intelligence.

“Wisdom is knowing I am nothing, Love is knowing I am everything, and between the two my life moves.” ― Sri Nisargadatta Maharaj

DavidB wrote:Eckhart says the primary purpose of human existence is to know who we are at our deepest level and everything else is secondary. Only one thing is absolutely important, everything else is relatively important.

I think it is relatively quite important to develop emotional and intellectual intelligence.

DavidB wrote:Eckhart says the primary purpose of human existence is to know who we are at our deepest level and everything else is secondary. Only one thing is absolutely important, everything else is relatively important.

I think it is relatively quite important to develop emotional and intellectual intelligence.

Hello David B,

I agree with you that the intellect is relative and not absolute.

The intellect is a servant, it is not the master.

Therefore I shall not be ruled by preconceptions.

Hello Mystic,

Yes indeed, the intellect is a tool, like an arm, or a leg. An arm or a leg are not the entire body, they serve their purpose and they do it well. Preconceptions are only useful so long as those preconceptions are in alignment with reality. Preconceptions need to be constantly reevaluated in order that they do not become a hindrance to clarity of perception. This though is why intellectual intelligence is so important, it provides rationality. Emotion is tempered by rationality, it provides perspective and context.

“Wisdom is knowing I am nothing, Love is knowing I am everything, and between the two my life moves.” ― Sri Nisargadatta Maharaj

Human intellect is a form in the universe. Intellect has its place and it serves a purpose. It appears to be an important aspect of awakening and the evolution of the universe.

Awareness is very important. It can be deepened with mental training ...yet realizations do happen as an act of grace. The Source of all being.

The ego plays Jedi mind tricks. It tells you that there is something called enlighten-MENT that is always in the future. It uses the now as a means to an end ...this is an avoidance strategy to keep from being present. The ego sucks up the life energy flow with resistance and mental blocks. Thus to give in to the ego avoidance strategy of the now is to delay waking. Yet waking is inevitable for all ...whether in this lifetime or the next.

The apocalypse means the unveiling. There is nothing hidden that shall not be revealed. To strip away the layers of resistance and pain-bodies by being present.

The ego interprets life backwards. It puts form first and the now second.